The present invention is directed to surgical apparatus for the implantation of a deformable intraocular lens into the eye. STAAR Surgical Company of Monrovia, Calif. developed the concept of using a "shooter" type device for implanting a deformable intraocular lens into the eye, and supplied such devices in the United States beginning around 1986.
The STAAR "shooter" apparatus includes a separate lens injecting device and a separate one-piece hinged cartridge (i.e. a lens holding portion connected to a nozzle portion) that can be assembled together for operation. The hinged cartridge opens along a longitudinal axis to allow a deformable intraocular lens to be loaded in a flat configuration in the two open halves of the lens delivery passageway. When the lens cartridge is closed, a lens delivery passageway is defined therein and the deformable intraocular lens is folded about its center into a curved folded configuration inside the lens delivery passageway. The loaded lens cartridge is then assembled with the lens injecting device which includes a lens is cartridge receiver and a movable plunger for forcing the deformable intraocular lens along the lens delivery passageway into the eye.